On Thursday, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar welcomed Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and other foreign ministers at the BRICS Foreign Ministers' meeting held at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. This meeting is a significant diplomatic engagement as part of India's ongoing role in the BRICS grouping, which focuses on economic cooperation and multilateral reforms among emerging economies. Jaishankar also welcomed representatives from other member nations, including China, Indonesia, South Africa, Ethiopia, and Iran. The meeting is part of India's BRICS chairmanship, which commenced on January 1, 2023, marking India's fourth presidency of the bloc. Earlier, Jaishankar met with Indonesian FM Sugiono to discuss their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and cooperation within ASEAN. Discussions during the meeting with Lavrov covered various aspects of the India-Russia Special & Privileged Strategic Partnership, including trade, energy, and science and technology.